SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The rumblings have been loud, but Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables hears little of it.

It’s tough being a coordinator at Oklahoma. Fickle fans may understand they can’t recruit, run a practice or devise a winning game plan, but many believe without a doubt they can call plays.

After the Sooners’ two losses to Colorado and Texas Tech, a lot of the ire on talk radio and message boards was directed at Venables.

But after Wednesday night’s Fiesta Bowl against No. 11 West Virginia, Venables will have completed nine seasons on OU’s sidelines and his fourth as defensive coordinator.

He doesn’t sweat the heat.

“Part of the gig, I guess,” Venables said. “The only ones you’ve got to please are your players and your boss, and he hasn’t come to me with any complaints.”

OU coach Bob Stoops has none.

“That is comical. How can you say that?” he said. “Look what we have done.”

The Sooners have faced the Nos. 6 (Texas Tech), 7 (Missouri twice), 9 (Tulsa) and 18 (Texas) scoring offenses this season. They held every one to at least a touchdown less than their average.

It was after the Texas Tech game that Venables’ critics cranked up the heat. The Sooners’ hopes of playing for a national championship ended with a 34-27 loss to the Red Raiders.

Fans hopped on the 34 points as the reason. There’s no doubt it might have been the unit’s worst game of the season. OU gave up 473 yards.

But more than half those yards (246) and all but 10 of those points came in the first half while OU sputtered offensively following Sam Bradford’s concussion.

“I think it’s kind of funny. It’s surprising how many couch coaches there are and how many people think they know what to run,” OU middle linebacker Curtis Lofton said. “Coach V is a great coach and you just have to go out and let him coach and let us play.”

The two games since should have answered the critics.

The Sooners held Oklahoma State and Missouri — the Nos. 8 and 5 teams in total offense — to a combined 34 points and more than 175 yards under their season averages.